Document-file.



IPATENTBD DEC. 3, 1907.

a. P. JOHNSTON.

DOCUMENT FILE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27. 1907.

% Wm%si% 72 a f INVENTOR.

I 010mm ROBERT P. JOHNS TON, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

DOCUMENT-FILE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed April 27. 1907. fierial No. 370,661.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT P. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Document-Files, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for filing documents, such as bills, letters, circulars and the like; and an object of my invention is to provide a document file so constructed that the document filed may beperforated in place upon the file, thus dispensing with the necessity of a separate perforator, and greatly expediting the filing of documents.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is-a perspective view of my new file; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the clip and perforator; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the clip and perforator; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the clip and perforator, the latter beingshown by dotted lines in diflerent positions; Fig. 5 shows a modified form ofthe mounting for the perforator, and Fig. 6 is a sec-' tional detail on line A A of Fig. 4.

To the board a is secured at one end a clip consisting of the base-plate b fronr which rise the posts 0 the upper end of each of which is beveled (Figs. 2 and 4). To look the papers on the posts 0 there are provided two rotatable arms d the upper end of each of which terminates in a hook e that engages in looking position the upper beveled end of the opposite post 0; so that in the closed position the 0st (2 and arm d with its hook 6 form an arch or inverted L3. The foregoing comprises no part of my invention but constitutes merely the well-known arch file, to release the papers from which the armsd are rotated. upon the vertical part thereof as a pivot, (see dotted lines of Fig. 2).

Upon the base-plate b is mounted a hollow casing or socket member f open at the top for the reception of the lower end of the hingepost g to which is pivotally'secured orhinged the handle plate h to which is adjustably attached the erforator-plate a; formed with the holes 11 or the reception of the posts a, when the plate his brought down upon them to perforate the paper. To hold the end of the hinge-post securely in the casing f, a latch or detent j controlled by the coil spring is is pivotally mounted on the back of the casing f, one end of the latch passing through a hole m in the back of the casing into a notch or recess formed in the hinge-post for its reception. Other kinds of latch could be used as well as the particular kind shown in the drawing.

The base-plate 19 carries the guides at against which rest the top of the paper, when it is being perforated; and the board a carries a lateral guide 0 against which the edge of the paper is brought for uniformity in filing. These guides are provided with shoulders s which are intended to support the edges of the paper to be filed, thus enabling it to "be placed more accurately than if the edges were free to drop down below the tops of the posts.

In Fig. 5 is shown a horizontally disposed socket member 1) into which the end of the hinge-post q is inserted. This obviates the necessity of providing a latch and the hingepost may be released by simply sliding it forward.

As will be obvious from the foregoing my perforator may be fitted to they standard arch files now in use.

If it be desired to perforate and file a'paper in a particular place on the file, as between two papers already filed, the perforator is removed by releasing the hinge-post from the socket member; the arms d are turned to locking position and the papers above the lowermost of two papers in question are thrown back upon the arms d; the perforator is again put in place and the paper to be filed is punched by it and filed in place; the periorator is removed, the arms d are thrown to locking position and the papers held upon the vertical part of the arms are turned over upon the posts 0. The perforator 1s then returned to its place upon the base-plate 1). Thus, by means of my new device, it is possible to sandwich a document in in any particular place in the file; and, further, to recover any particular document already filed. By throwing back the handle-plate h the papers may be readily passed over the arch in either direction.

It will be observed that the handle-plate is' hinged at some distance in rear of the file, whereby a long lever arm is obtained which permits the perforator to pass some distance down on the posts and aid in filing the document. That is, the'mechanism not only perforates but at the same time files the document on the posts.

The perforator-plate m is provided with a thumb-screw by which it may be held more or less rigidly in place upon the handle-plate h. It is desirable to allow a limited play for the perforator-plate,' since the very act of filing will tend to keep the perforator in such a position that its holes register with the top of the posts.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base-plate provided with a socket; posts mounted upon said base-plate for receiving the document to be,

filed; rotatable hook-shaped arms mounted 'upon said base-plate and adapted to co-act with said posts to form an arch; a hinge-post mounted in said socket free to be readily re' moved therefrom; and a perforator pivotally secured to said hinge-post and formed with apertures adapted to co-act with said to perforate and file the document.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base-plate provided posts with a socket; posts for receiving the docu-,

ments to be filed; means for locking said documents in place upon said posts; a hingepost mounted in said socket free to be readily removed therefrom; and a perforator pivotally secured to said hinge-post and adapted to co-act with said posts to perforate and file the document.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base-plate posts for receiving the documents to be filed; means for locking said documents upon said posts; a hinge-post slidably mounted in said baseplate free to be readily removed therefrom; a handle-plate pivotally secured to said hinge-post; and a perforator-plate adjustably mounted upon said handle-plate and adapted to co-act with said posts to perforate and file simultaneously the document.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support; posts for receiving the documents to be filed; guides for determining the position of the document to be filed; and a perforator adapted to co-act with said posts to perforate the document in place thereon.

5. In a device of the character described,

'the combination of a support; posts for rethe paper flat; and a perforator for simultaneously perforating the document to be filed and forcing it in place upon said posts.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support; posts mounted thereon for receiving the documents to be filed; hook-shaped arms rotatably mounted upon said support, said arms co-acting to form an arch with said posts; and a perforator-plate adapted to co-act with said posts and pivotally mounted upon said support and readily removable therefrom to permit the transfer of the documents from said posts to said arms and vice versa and to permit a paper to be filed between or under papers already filed.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of posts for the reception of the documents to be filed; means for locking said documents upon said posts; a hingepost; and a perforator pivotally secured to said hinge-post; said means being between said posts and the point of pivotal connection of said perforator with said hinge-post.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support; posts mounted thereon for the reception of the documents to be filed; means for holding said documents upon said posts; said means being rotatable about axes parallel to said posts; and a perforator mounted on said support and adapted to co-act with said posts to punch and file the document in place upon said posts.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support formed with a socket; filing devices mounted upon said support for the reception of the documents to be filed; a perforator mounted in said socket; and means for holding said perforator in place in said socket, while permitting its ready removal therefrom.

10. The combination. in a device of the character described of filing devices for the I reception of the documents to be filed; a perforator; and an operating device for said perforator, the latter being adjustably mounted on said operating device and being adapted to co-act with said filing devices to erforate and file in place the documents to e filed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses at said Asheville'this 19th day of April 1907.

ROBERT P. JOHNSTON. 

